Authorities warn of counterfeit HIV medicines being found in Kenya despite crackdown on counterfeit medicines
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenyan authorities on Wednesday issued a warning about the sale of counterfeit HIV prevention medications in the country, saying their “safety, quality and effectiveness cannot be guaranteed.”
The Pharmacy and Poisons Board said the drugs were in two batches labeled Truvada, a drug commonly used to prevent HIV around the world.
The board of
Kenyan police fear that thousands of fake Truvada products are already circulating in the market.
About 1.4 million people are living with HIV in Kenya, according to UNAIDS data in 2022. Of these, 1.2 million people are taking antiretroviral treatment drugs.
Truvada is manufactured by US-based Gilead Sciences Inc, which warned in January that counterfeit versions of its multi-million-dollar HIV drug were being sold in the US, posing risks to patients.
But its discovery in Kenya, East Africa’s commercial hub, shows the daunting task of tackling counterfeit medicines.
Truvada is used to treat HIV and as pre-exposure prophylaxis for people at high risk, including those with multiple sexual partners and those who share needles while injecting drugs.
Earlier this month, Kenya’s National Council for Epidemic Disease Control, a government body tasked with coordinating the national strategy to combat HIV and AIDS, raised the alarm that HIV infection rates among those aged 15 to 29 years were falling. It has emerged by 61% between 2021 and 2022.
Across Africa, health workers expressed Worrying about complacency With improved treatment of AIDS.
